There is a place which is a truly blessed place on this planet. It is:

1. Home to The Second Masjid On Earth, Which was First Built By Adam, Rebuilt by Ibrahim With Is’haaq. Redeveloped By Da’ud, Completed By Sulayman, and after many years of being occupied by the enemies of Allah, it was retaken by Umar
2. It is home to the place where the messenger of Allah tied the buraaq to as he went to meet his lord
3. It is from where the Prophet went to the heavens to meet his lord.
4. It is from here that Prophet Muhammad Lead All the Prophets in Prayer

And is this true nobility which forces me to speak about this place here today, as despite recent times bringing to Muslim lands, earthquakes, floods, the disaster in Ghazza is the hardest to bear, on that most blessed land. The monumental events which this Ummah is currently living through though, should serve as a reminder for us all, and that being to return back to Allah and his religion, and when we see the tragedy of Ghazza, this must seek to do one thing only, to inflame our determination and ambition. We Must Be Hopeful For What The Future Holds And What Will Emerge!

The great history of our Ummah is a testimony to this, as we find when we examine when the Muslims have had to struggle through difficult situations, through this they have reflected and rekindled a hunger for Islam.

The bloody events, tragic scenes; murder and destruction in such a barbaric manner from a people who do not have any feelings of humanity or mercy is a tragedy which makes one’s heart shiver and ones eyes flood with tears. Yet our brothers and even sisters, still challenge their occupiers with their rocks and stones, they meet the tanks with their sling shots, and they meet the weapons of the richest army on the planet, with their hands raised up to the king of the planet, the king of kings, Allah Subhana.

And therefore I ask you now, join them in that, and ask Allah to give them the strength they need to meet their enemy. This religion of ours is a practical one, and thus the biggest and best weapon you have is dua, so use it. As they use their weapons, you use yours & ask the Creator to have mercy on them.

In recent times we have heard some Muslims, make a strange call for peace talks even now. Despite our brothers and sisters standing firm with their leadership, we find people sat here from the luxuries of their housing, calling for the Palestinians to back down even from their efforts to protect their honour, in favour of peace talks. My dear brothers and sisters, what kind of peace can be expected from a people who keep no trusts or covenants?

Therefore if you are guilty of such thinking, think again. The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said, as narrated by Abu-Moosa, may Allaah be pleased with him: “The example of the unity of the Muslims is like the example of a single structure, its parts strengthening and supporting one another” (Bukhaari & Muslim). And therefore for you is to stand with them, united.

They, Al Yahood, Lanat Allah, Alay, have diversified their methods of committing crimes and massacres; and by doing so they are continuing their disgraceful history which is full of outrageous acts, betrayal, treachery, evil and lies. After all these are the people who kill their Prophets, so is it any surprise they have no value for Ahmed or Khowla, Muhammad or Khadija, or any single Phalesteeni?

They are committing massacres every day and they are deliberately seeking to humiliate the Muslims, and most of all, to destroy the will of the Muslim nation and its hunger to struggle on.

But this is far from the truth; the Palestinian Muslims have indeed set an excellent example and produced heroic personalities, they insist on struggling on and not surrendering – despite the massacres and the hundreds of martyrs that have emerged from these, regardless of the thousands of injured, the countless hostages and the complete siege which is currently surrounding all their cities and villages; despite all of this, the Phalesteenis will continue to insist that there will be no surrender, and this is truly something noble my dear brothers and sisters. These people of ours, may Allah preserve them, are truly ayaat from Allah Subhana, and their resistance a true evidence to the ayat of the Quran, when Allaah says;

أَنتُمْ أَشَدُّ رَهْبَةً فِي صُدُورِهِم مِّنَ اللَّهِ

that which translates as: “You [believers] are more fearful within their hearts than Allaah …” (Al-Hashr: 13).

And therefore we need to respect their position, honour their strength and learn the lessons of how to live upon the advice of ‘Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, like they do, as he said: “Do not fall short in your ambitions, because I do not know anything that prevents people from achieving might and power more than not being ambitious.”

Therefore my dear brothers and sisters, I stand here, and say, that inshAllah this struggle will continue, and the battle between Truth and evil, will continue, and inshAllah, like in the past, something truly amazing will emerge from this.

The history of Islam is a testimony to the fact that during such difficult periods from this nation emerge great people. Anas bin Maalik, may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “The example of my nation is like that of the rain, no one knows whether its beginning is better or its end.” (Ahmad, Tirmidhi & Ibn Hibbaan).

And this is because, as the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Allaah continues to bring from this nation devoted people whom He uses in His obedience.” (Ahmad, Ibn Maajah & Ibn Hibbaan).

These events are predestined and decreed upon our nation so that it may wake up, realise the message that it should be carrying, and unite it’s ranks all under one banner, the banner of laa ilaaha illallah Muhammadun rasoolullaah. It must do this with sincerity and commit to ensuring its sovereignty, and do so without depending on the enemies of Allaah for support. Allaah says;

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِن تَنصُرُوا اللَّهَ يَنصُرْكُمْ وَيُثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَكُمْ

 that which translates as, “O you who believe, if you support [the religion of] Allah, He will support you and plant firmly your feet.” (Muhammad: 7).

The wisdom of Allah is great, and as he is the Most Just, put your

faith in him, and only him, and prepare for the solution to come. We must be confident, and we must never be helpless. The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “Allaah narrowed the earth for me and gave me the ability to see the east and the west (i.e., of the globe). The dominion of my nation will reach all that which Allaah made me see.” (Muslim). 

Therefore we know the victory is with Islam, not just in the Holy land, but across the face of the planet, and all what we see come to us, is to prepare us for the challenges that lay ahead. Taking this religion to every corner of the world is something that is not easy and requires sacrifice, and much has been made to get here, and much more is required until the last day.

And as I stand here before you, on the member of the Messenger of Allah, an ayat from the Quran rings in my head:

يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفِؤُوا نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَاللَّهُ مُتِمُّ نُورِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ

“And they wish to put out the light of Allah, and Allah will never let this happen, despite the disbelievers hating it” (As Saff, 8).

Subhan Al Malik, isn’t that what we see. When we see the Masjid Al Aqsa, the first Qibla of Islam, blockaded, when we see the Masaajid of Ghazza blown up, when we see the Muslim, children, women and elderly murdered before our very eyes, do we not see an effort to extinguish the light of Ar Rahman? By Allah, we see it, and then doesn’t this ayat, just bring comfort to your heart, dear brothers and sisters know that Allah will never let them fulfil their plan, no matter how much they hate it.

Dear brothers and sisters this is why we must be an optimistic nation, because faith and pessimism cannot co-exist. As we know the victory is with Islam, and thus how can we be pessimistic? To give up hope, is to give up on the mercy of Allaah, and surely that is from disbelief, as Allaah says;

إِنَّهُ لاَ يَيْأَسُ مِن رَّوْحِ اللّهِ إِلاَّ الْقَوْمُ الْكَافِرُون

 that which translates as: “… Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allaah except the disbelieving people.” (Yoosuf: 87).

The current hardship in Philasteen is not the first and nor will it be the last; our nation has been afflicted by many adversities, some far harsher than what we are seeing in Ghazza today, yet our nation never gave in and continued to struggle and fight until Allaah granted it victory.

Therefore we as people of this city must too play a part in this struggle and take practical measures to aid the Muslims, and thus I present to you the advice of our Shaikh Saleh Al Munajid, Hafiz Ullah:

1. You have to make du’aa’; Ask Allah, and Ask With Conviction; Badr.

2. Collect charity and send it through trustworthy channels.

3. Support the weak and oppressed in all ways, including the media and the internet.

4. Ask the scholars, daa’iyahs, khateebs and writers to explain the oppression that is happening and the negligence on the part of the ummah, and to mobilize the ummah to defend the holy places.

5. Doing as much damage as possible to the enemies who are in a state of war with us, through boycotting their products and supporting alternatives.

And finally, I say it is critical that all this is reinforced by a general hope in the Mercy and Wisdom of Allah. The Muslims can never become helpless, and learn from the resolve of the Palestinians themselves, and take the words of. Ismael Haniya, Hafiz Ullah, who said three days ago;

“Whatever the cost, the continuation of the Israelis massacre will neither break our will nor our aspirations for freedom”

We must remember that Allah is the All wise, and thus if we don’t understand the situation, we should simply quieten and seek to improve our understanding. A most practical way to do this is to explore the history of this religion. As If one studies the history of the Muslim Ummah, we find the Ummah emerges from these hardships and overcomes its pain, indeed this pain acts as an energizer for the struggle to continue until victory comes.

This nation has been through ups and downs; its men became weak and were succeeded by a new generation of men who went on to make history. If our nation, which Allaah has honoured over all others, is seemingly week today, then history testifies that through weakness and its purification, greatness emerges & this is a great indication for the present time in which we are living.

فَاسْأَلُواْ أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُون

“If you do not know this, ask the followers of earlier revelation” [21:07]

My brothers and Sisters, as I watch the affair of the Muslims in Philisteen unfold, I am speechless. For those that know me, they will know this is something that rarely happens.

With that in mind, I refer you to the words of our beloved our Shaikh, Ahmed ibn Ajmi.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QeLArzQsuAI

If you know Arabic, take 10 minutes and watch this, if not. Ask Allah to have mercy on your brothers and sisters in Philisteen who are returning to Allah, testifying to Taweheed, at the hands of the decendents of pigs and monkeys. Your brothers and sisters are paying the same price of Tawheed as the Salaf, the only difference is, when they turn around to see who has their back, they see nothing but the pleasure lands of Ahlul Arab, and no men behind them.

I ask Allah to give you, me, and the Ummah of Muhammad the tawfique to rise to this occassion, by all means neccessary.

Allah huma Ar Hamhum

Allaah has referred to Palestine as ‘The Blessed Land’ in many verses of the Quran. The Prophet Ibraheem, peace be upon him, left Iraaq for this blessed land and it became his adopted home where he would eventually die, in the city of Al-Khaleel, or Hebron. Allaah says that which translates as “And we delivered him [Ibraheem] and Lot to the land which we had blessed for the worlds [i.e., peoples].” (Al Quran, 21:71).

And this is the reality of the Holy land, that it is truly a noble place, and a place that Allah, the lord of the worlds, has raised in greatness on the face of the earth. With this in mind it hurts so much more to see the events unfold in the Gaza strip, in the very heart of the blessed land, where the prophets all gathered once to pray, now we watch mankind slowly being systematically exterminated. Under the banner of a war on terror, the world watches, men, women and children being slaughtered like cattle. From the elderly to the infirm, no one is to be spared in an endeavour to ironically undermine, the only democratically elected government of the Middle East.

However, what do you do, as you see the sacrilege of the concept of humanity unfold before your very eyes? What do you do as you witness the massacre of the innocent? What do you do as you see the stone thrown by a school boy reciprocated by an Israeli missile?

First and foremost, put at the forefront of your mind the words of Allah:
 
“That Allah will reward the people of Truth for their Truth, and punish the Hypocrites if that be His Will, or turn to them in Mercy; for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Quran: 33/24)
 
Then do not procrastinate and be proactive and doing something that will benefit your brothers and sisters in the blessed land. As you feel this pain, do not let helplessness overcome you, ever, as Allah Azzawajal is the all wise, and his religion and those that submit to it will prevail. However, what do we do? Do we suffice with shedding a tear? Do we suffice with protesting to those who fear the boy with the stone, the girl with the schoolbook or the child in the womb of his mother?

Safwan ibn Salim related that the Prophet, Upon Whom Be Peace, said:

"Anyone who looks after & works for a widow & a poor person is like a warrior fighting for Allah’s cause, or like a person who fasts during the day & prays all night." (Bukhari)

How many more widows & orphans will there be made today???

While you sit waiting for their number to increase, take three key actions immediately, as this religion of yours, is a religion of action;

1. Ask Allah to have mercy on the Muslims of Palestine and bring to justice those who are committed to taking the lives of the innocent. He is the one to answer your call, he is the one who in whose hands are the heaven and the earth, and he is the one who is the All Just.

2. Ask Allah to forgive you for the sinns you have sent forth which contribute to the corruption on the Earth.

3. Dig deep, and raise as much money as you can to send to the people of Al Quds; who at one time were the centre point of raising the banner of Monotheism across the world and now sit alone awaiting to be killed, one, by one. Feel free to do this via IslamBradford, or our identified partners for the Palestine appeal:
 
http://www.doctorsworldwide.org/
 
http://www.uwt.org/

The key thing is do something, and do not let a moment go without seizing the opportunity. And as you do this remember to be just in your view of the situation, and always seek goodness and justice, and keep the words of Allah close to your heart;

‘O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allaah as just witnesses; and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety’ 

Al-Quran; 5:8

“I have been banging a drum for so long that there’s a correlation between illiteracy and going to prison. Between 50% and 75% of all prisoners can’t read. You are looking at a prison population that’s upwards of 75% illiterate or semi-literate.”

Minette Walters. The Guardian.co.uk

Now this statement by the best selling author, Minette Walters, should come as no surprise, and is actually based on good evidence available at Her Majesty’s Prison Service website. It actually makes complete sense too. An individual is unable to read, ergo function in the modern capitalist system, and then turns to crime to circumnavigate life and actually survive.

Poor literacy is actually rampant in the UK. The BBC’s Becky Woosey, reported that, ‘There are currently 67 million adults living the UK, 8 million of which are considered to be functionally illiterate.  Figures for this year show that this part of the UK adult population are unable not just to read and write, but also have an inability to locate, evaluate, use, and communicate using a wide range of resources including text, visual, audio, and video sources.’ This should be alarming, as when you reconcile it with the figures of the offender population it seems clear that illiteracy is a problem for us all. Illiteracy is a social issue for both the illiterate and the literate as ultimately both share the burden of the unlettered mind.

The unlettered person exists in a desperate situation in the modern society and is exposed to being used and exploited by society’s most deviant miscreants. And therefore it comes as no surprise why God in his infinite wisdom, revealed the first word of his final testament, The Quran, to be ‘Read’.

The first word of the Quran is ‘Iqra’, in English, Read or Recite, and this is something which really is of much significance. Why is it that God chose the first word of his final revelation to be that of Read? The apparent reasoning for this is the importance of the intellect, and the need to preserve it.

The intellect is something which must be honoured and society must provide the fertile ground for it to flourish as innovation is dependent on it. When one strolls through the corridors of history it is apparent the golden age of any people is, when they excel in education and the emancipated mind is the mind of the time. It comes as no surprise that when you explore the ancient Greek civilisation you find great minds like Socrates and Plato, when you revel in the progression of the Islamic empire you are forced but to contemplate the impact of Al Jazari’s Castle Water Clock or Serafeddin Sabuncuoglu Atlas to Paediatric Surgery, this is simply the testimony of history. Hence Okinitsu says, When You Learn You Earn!

Therefore it is essential that society pays attention to education and moreover encourages progressive thought. The Quran actually goes to the extent of making this an obligation upon both individuals and society, by calling for mankind to excel in contemplation and reflection and actually achieving understanding. Hence we find God Commands his Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) to pray for this;

“And say: ‘My Lord! Increase me in knowledge”

The Quran, Chapter 20, Verse, 114

Therefore the acquisition of knowledge is something truly important for both the individual and the society in which he seeks to operate. On an individual knowledge and education represent the keys to freedom, and on a social level they represent the keys to discovery and development.

Now this begs the question with both the spiritual and material cases being so strong, why is there so much illiteracy? Fine, we can understand that when the BBC report that there are nearly 1billion people on the planet who are functionally illiterate, much of these will be so due to no access to education and resource issues, but why here? Why here in one of the richest countries in the world? Why is it in Bradford there are still adults who are unable to read and those who are able to, from the adult population, there are some with a reading age of nine years old?

Not being a sociologist, it’s hard to provide the definitive answer. However being someone with an interest in religion it seems apparent that with the breakdown of religious observance, and consequently the reading of the manual to life that divine scripture represents, many people in society find no hunger to learn through their formative years. They find satisfaction in many a distraction until its too late and they have slipped through the system, henceforth it is not until they are entertained by the Learning and Skills Council at Her Majesty’s Pleasure they actually find a need to learn.

You, Him, Her and I all need to give knowledge a chance. We need to see why it is that God has placed so much an emphasis on the acquisition of knowledge. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) illustrate God’s love for knowledge, with his statement; “Whoever follows a path in the pursuit of knowledge, Allaah will make a path to Paradise easy for him.” This was a point that was clearly taken on board by early Muslims, as we see the Golden Age of Islam followed the revelation of the Quran, and we find a demise in the Islamic civilisation correlated with the decline of literacy in the Islamic world.

Knowledge = Emancipation of the soul and the purse, and therefore its something we should all seek to develop in. Many a people reading this will not go past reading such a magazine or the menu most likely sat on the table next to where this was picked up, and if your from those, here’s a tip, Read a Good Book! And once you have done that read another, listen to a lecture, and last of all just have a good think, and soon enough you will find the whole world around you just changed. Ibn Al Qayim Al Jawziya, a Muslim Theologian Who died in 1350 shared some advice on the seeking of knowledge which makes the whole journey easier, so if your just about to start walking the road of enlightenment using the knowledge flyover, consider his etiquettes of learning, it just may hold you in good stead;

Firstly: Ask questions in a good manner.

Secondly: Remain quiet and listen attentively.

Thirdly: Understand well.

Fourthly: Memorise

Fifthly: Teach

Sixthly: and it is its fruit: Act upon the knowledge

If we all did this, maybe just maybe, we could all help one another and improve access to education for all, and make sense of why it is God says in the Quran;

“And cooperate in righteousness and piety”

 The Quran, Chapter 5, Verse 2

“Anybody who believes in God and the Last Day should not harm his neighbour, and anybody who believes in God and the Last Day should entertain his guest generously and anybody who believes in God and the Last Day should talk what is good or keep quiet.”  The Prophet Muhammad, (Peace Be Upon Him) As Collected By Bukhari   

A 16 year old boy has admitted kicking a woman to death in a Lancashire park. Sophie Lancaster, 20, and boyfriend Robert Maltby, 21, were in Stubby Lee Park in Bacup, when they were attacked on 11 August 2007.Miss Lancaster died two weeks after the incident. She was in a coma after suffering head injuries and never regained consciousness. Mr Maltby, an art student, also fell into a coma, but recovered and has since left hospital.

This story was reported by the BBC on the 10^th March. It is a story which sends a shiver down ones spine and represents an act of terror which is on the rise. Community based violence and crime is rising rapidly across the UK and West Yorkshire is no different, and they represent a senseless violence which is destroying neighbourhoods.

The Home Office recently reported, that 29% of young people said they had committed at least one act of antisocial behaviour in the previous year, and thus Young Offender Intuitions occupancy figures come as no surprise, with well over 10 000 people being in such rectification facilities, with the irony being the re-offending rate from these very institutions is running at 84%. 

Now if one is to analyse this situation, many causes could be identified, including low educational attainment, poor socio-economic conditions, gang culture etc. All of which are essentially complex factors requiring considerable resources to challenge. However, could there be a more micro-solution that could influence change from the very grass roots? Could there be a solution which empowered communities and generated the conditions needed for such behaviour to be negligible? Could there be something that every single individual could do which would enable a degree of utopian harmony to grace the streets of the most notorious of neighbourhoods?   

Now before you think this train of thought is actually a product of a brain injury itself, think for a moment, about the neighbourhood in which you live. And ask your self this? Do you know your neighbour or even the person living three doors away? Unfortunately the Urban life that many of us lead today means that we don’t. 

We live in warehouse apartments on Oak Lane, Bradford, and have never spoken to the person sharing the wall with us living next door, we are living in suburban Bingley with an awe inspiring 100ft turn lawn and have no idea who lives at the picked fence at the end of it. Welcome to the 21^st Century as this is how most of us live. And the concern of me, myself and I, means episode’s such as the aforementioned story, horrific as they are, spend not more than a moment in our consciousness, that is until we are the victims. 

The implications of this are, we have no knowledge of whom we live with, have no concern for their concerns and have no involvement in their happiness and woes, consequently if they are afflicted by an social evil, we simply continue to ‘mind our own business’. And this attitude is what breeds distance between people, and eventually a lack of regard for them, their feelings and their lives generally. 

Now without becoming all sociological, how about if we took some good old friendly advice and began to honour the rights of our neighbours?  

The Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) Said, ‘when you prepare the broth, add water to that and give that (as a present) to your neighbour’. As Recorded In Sahih Muslim. 

Now maybe you don’t do broth, but the principle I am sure is one you can appreciate. How about if we all just took five minutes from our time and visited our neighbour with a nice freshly basked Madeia cake, or in Bradford, maybe a nice example of the, Dish of the Nation, Chicken Tikka Masala? 

Now this is not intended to be a Dr Martin Luther King; ‘I have a dream’ moment, but just a practical thought on improving relations in communities, with a view to breeding an awareness of one another, which God Willing, has an impact on the hearts and minds of people. As ultimately we are all neighbours to someone. 

As you maybe able to ascertain by the opening quote of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), honouring Neighbours is deemed as an important element in social relations and development. The Neighbour in Islam is someone that is deserving of your honour and respect as goodness breeds goodness, and therefore harmony in the home breeds harmony in the brain, and ultimately breeds harmony in life itself.  

The point is, maybe we all just need to take a step back, and remember like we have neighbours, we are actually neighbours to other people. And if we actually treated our neighbours like we expect to be treated ourselves we maybe able to instigate a change which ripples from our next door neighbour, to our street, to our neighbourhood, to our community, to our city, to our nation. 

This is ever more likely to happen if we take an Islamic perspective to the neighbour, as in Islam, we recognise the neighbour to be as far as forty homes each way. Now clearly this type of definition would make the grand vision shared here easier, however even if you work with the more Eurocentric position, of just John next door, we can still make some headway.  

Rome wasn’t built in a day, but there was still a vision for Rome. Rome had principles and they were honoured, Socrates was willing to die for them, all that is being suggested here is, our neighbourhoods have some rights for peace, security and harmony, and maybe they could be honoured without the loss of life, but simply with a nice big cake with a cherry on top! 

This is no Jerry McGuire Memo after a bad slice of Pizza, just a few thoughts on moving toward safer neighbourhoods, based on inspiration from reading the words of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). And contrary to popular opinion in the current times of his disposition, it seems befitting to finish with some of his own words, which not only reflect why it is God said in the Quran, that he was ‘Mercy To The Worlds’ (Quran Chapter 21, Verse 107), but represent some useful advice to all of us “Whoever believes in God and the Last Day should not hurt (trouble) his neighbour. (Collected in Bukhari)   

 “… And upon Allaah rely, if you should be believers” (5:23) 

This ayat should indicate what it is then I am suggesting as the key to happiness, Tawaqul.  So what is this Tawaqul?  

Sa’eed ‘Awadh (Hafiz Ullah) mentions this Tawaqul has five characteristics; 

The First Characteristic: Is to know Allaah by His qualities and attributes; such as the fact that He is All Capable and Sufficient to rely on; that He is the Sustainer; that He is All-Knowing and that things can only happen with His will and decree. Knowing all this achieves the first Characteristic, with which the slave of Allah initiates the Characteristics of reliance. The more a slave of Allah knows about Him, the more sound and firm his reliance on Allah will be.

Therefore we find that when Musa, Upon Whom Be Peace, Arrived at the sea with Bani Israel and there was widespread panic amongst them. They thought we are destroyed, Pharaoh and his army are behind us and the sea in front, what will we do. Their reliance in Ar Rahman was incomplete, however who led them knew better. Musa, Kaleem Ullah, turned and said to them; Nay indeed! My Sustainer is with me, [and] He will guide me! (26:62)

As he had complete reliance in his lord, knowing that he is Al Qadir and that he is capable to do what he wishes. And this is undoubtedly the source of happiness for people, as they know what ever befalls them is from Allah, and no matter how things seem, what is written will befall you.  

The Second Characteristic: Is to believe that every matter has a cause or a means in order for it to be materialised. Some people give up utilising these means due to their ignorance and think that this is reliance on Allah. They wait for Allah to send down their provisions and feed them while they are lying on their beds without exerting any effort whatsoever.

This is nothing but the laziness which the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam referred to in the Hadeeth which was narrated by Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him: “Be keen to do that which would benefit you, rely on Allaah and do not be lazy (by not exerting effort) (Muslim). One who is relying on Allaah must know that although he must utilise all the possible means that Allaah has provided for him, his heart must still rely totally on Allaah to achieve his objectives. And we learn this from the famous hadith when the Prophet sallaahu alaihiwsalam a man entering the masjid without tying his camel. At seeing this, the messenger of Allah asked him, why are you leaving the camel astray like that? He replied I am depending on Allah. So the Prophet replied, Tie It! Then Depend on Allah.  

The Third Characteristic: Is to remain firm in relying on Allaah alone. A person’s reliance on Allaah cannot be fulfilled until one relies on Him alone. Therefore, nobody can claim true reliance on Allah whilst at the same time believing that a Shaykh, or pious person, whether dead or alive, can harm or benefit him; in fact, a person who does such a thing has ruined his entire faith and not just his reliance on Allaah.And we see this at its pinnacle from the story of Ibrahim. As we see this was a life characterised by firm reliance, therefore we see when he was to be launched into the fire for his call of monotheism, he did not flicker, and awaited the response of Allah, and when he saw the dream to sacrifice his son, his reliance was clear and he set forth to it.

However this is not simply a characteristic of the Prophets, as we see this filters through to those of firm belief, and a recognisiton that happiness is only from Allah. Hence we see from Bilal, Raday Allah Anhu, as, when he lay on the hot sand, he was unshaken in his reliance on Allah, and thus maintained his call. And moreover this is not only a characteristic of our men, as we find it in our women. As the first martyr of Islam was Summayah Bint Khayyat, who despite being tortured, remained firm on her Islam, with complete faith in Allah, and his messenger, hence when the messenger passed her as she was tortured with her husband in Ramadan, he told her to be patient and informed her of Jannah, she affirmed herself with that, and was pleased with the decree of Allah, till her soul left to circumublate the thrown of Allah in the body of a green bird of Al Jannah.  

The Fourth Characteristic: Is to depend on Allah completely with ones heart and feel tranquillity when doing so, to the extent that one does not feel anxious or confused regarding the status or means with which objectives are accomplished. Some people do not feel secure until they utilise these means, and if Allah decrees that these means are not available, then they feel saddened.

Such people’s reliance on Allaah is incomplete, because true reliance is when a person does not care if means are available or not, because they know that all matters are in the Hand of Allaah; all He has to do for a matter to occur say ‘Be’ and it becomes.And we see the best example of this from Shaykh Al Islam, Ibn Taymiyya.

What can my enemies do to harm me? Will they imprison me? Then I will have privacy and solitude, to worship Allah, will they kill me, then I am a martyr, (Shaheed), and if they expel me, then its traveling for the sake of Allah.

Happiness and misery is something that will remain as long as life continues. Each human being on the surface of earth is aggressively searching for happiness, and hoping to attain it at the expense of all that he owns. 

The Fifth Characteristic: To realise that the essence of reliance on Allaah is to entrust all matters to Him willingly, without feeling forced to do so. This is just like, for example, how a weak son would trust his parents due to the fact that he knows that the parents are caring, merciful and sufficient for him and that they would properly manage his affairs. This son knows that his parents manage his affairs better than he could do himself. And thus his reliance is something natural to him, and not something he feel he should have, it something he is happy to have.

The one who entrusts Allaah does so in the certainty that what Allaah decrees is better for him, even if it is apparently the opposite of what he believes to be good and indeed even the decree appears to be evil. Such a person is content with the decree of Allaah as he knows that it is better for him, whether the benefit is apparent or not.However brothers and sisters I am compelled here to say that do not confuse this with apathy, do not confuse this with not caring what befalls you or others, as subhan Al Aziz this is what has come upon us, when we consider the Qadr of Allah, for others.

So when we watch TV, and we see the images of our brothers and sisters in the holy land, in the first Qibla of Al Islam, being terrorised by the decedents of pigs and donkeys, Al Yahood, Lanat Allah Alay, let us not be of those that console ourselves with this is simply what is written for them. Brothers and sisters, that is not tawaqul, that is selfishness. Know, by Allah, know, when that mother dies at a check point giving birth, it was your mother that died, know when that youth is shot on his way to Masjid Al Aqsa, know it was your brother who was shot, know when it is that family that are starving in Gaza for no other reason that they choose the friends of Allah to represent them, rather than the friends of Shaytaan, know it is your family starving, it is your father dieing from no access to medical care and your sister dieing from starvation. Know it, and do something about it.

Your tawaqul here is to know the victory of Allah is near, and the abode of the Muslims is Al Jannah, but know they have rights on you, from your wealth, from your strength and dare I say it, from your blood in this hard time to fall upon them.Therefore I conclude by reminding you that Happiness is for the believing heart and it is only achievable through the remembrance of Allah, and complete reliance in him. The reliance is a state which enables you to transcend the apparent, and appreciate the hereafter in this very world.

And I leave you with the words of Umar Ibn Al Khattab, the leader of the faithful, the one who took Phalesteen for the Muslims, who raday Allah Anhu, said; If you rely on Allah with due reliance, Allah will provide for you as he does for the birds; they leave with empty stomachs in the morning and return full at dusk. Tirmidhi 

The Dictionary Defines Happiness As:

1. The Quality or State of Being Happy

2. Good Fortune; Pleasure, Contentment, Joy

And therefore this is something that we all crave.

There is no soul that does not seek happiness. As this is the natural disposition of man. However to man this has become something which is directly related to material wealth. Happiness has become synonymous with Ad- Dunya, and why is that. That is because in the absence of strong faith, this is the natural disposition of man. As Allah Subhana Himself makes clear in the Quran, through an ayat many of you will have already read today, or will before the sun sets, from Surah kahf, as Allah Jala wa A’la says;

الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا

Wealth and children are an 4dornment of this, world’s life: but good deeds (18:46)

However when we look at our lives then, it should be that we are the happiest of people. We, the people of the West, should be the happiest on the face of the Earth. As there is more material wealth saved by the West than exists in the rest of the world together.

However, there is a problem, we are not the happiest. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Based on our world view, we should find then, that the richest country in the world is also the happiest. However, it is not.

In fact in the U.S. there is a suicide every 17 minutes. Therefore before I start the prayers for Jummah, 2 people will have killed themselves in the United States for no other reason than despair from this world. However don’t just think this is a fitan in the US, as the relationship is directly proven in all the richest countries. Hence 150 000 people commit suicide every year in Europe alone.

And at a more local level, visit the mental health services of this city and you will find a substantial proportion of patients using services have no shortage of material wealth, yet are so unhappy, they suffer from depression and take clinical drugs to try stop themselves taking their own lives.

Therefore this should be a clear indication that happiness is something that we cannot win from this world, in any substantial and sustainable manner, as the world around us is a proof against it.

Therefore what must we do, we must realise that we need to find it where Allah, the Most Wise has told us it is, and that is with him.

Allah Jala wa A’la makes clear that;

أَلاَ بِذِكْرِ اللّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ

For, verily, in the remembrance of God [men's] hearts do find their rest (13:28)

Therefore the example of this world shows us that happiness generally from the world is short lived, and moreover that happiness, contentment and tranquillity is only in the remembrance of Allah.

Happiness is not something that is measured by quantity nor could it be bought by currency, and no human possesses it to sell it, nor can they take it away from one who attained it or was granted it. Happiness is, faith followed by action, calamity followed by patience, fortune followed by thankfulness. And the happy one is the one who favors the eternal over the vanishing and perishing.

Now in our time, many of us start thinking this is a rejectionist attitude, and is a little extreme, and that to which we are calling is more unhappiness. As the best remembrance of Allah, the Quran is full of; we cant do this and we cant do that. However I stop you there and I tell you that is because we fail to give the Quran the attention it deserves.

The Quran is our liberator, and is actually here to open our hearts and minds, and be the source of our enlightenment, contrary to popular belief, hence Allah the Al mighty makes clear;

Ta Ha, We did not bestow the Qur’an on thee from on high to make thee unhappy, 20:1-2

So if it wasn’t sent to make you unhappy, what was it sent for, well, by Allah, I tell you it was sent to make you, that which you are craving, HAPPY.

And I heard a story of a companion which illustrates this perfectly, his name was Rabbi Ibn Amir, and he had spent his whole life in servitude, living as a slave. However, with Islam came his freedom, and came happiness to him.

Once he was sent as the head of a delegation to meet the Persians, the USA of their time, the world superpower. And he was received with much honour, as the messenger of the leader of the faithful, Umar Ibn Khattab.

The deputy leader of the Persians received him in a tent made from silk and gold, and laid for him cushions of a comfort he had never even imagined. However as he approached, he with his spear removed this from the ground and sat on the floor, and when asked what is it you come with, he said;

“ We come with the will to liberate man from the worship of the creation, to the worship of the creator.”

He was not phased by the wealth and funfair, he was not made happy with the elaborate reception, he was made happy only with the worship of Allah.

So we look at ourselves, and we think we are Muslims, we believe in Allah and his messenger, and we fulfil the tenants of faith, happiness should then be ours. And your right it should be, but by Allah it is us that push it away. How do we push away happiness, we do so in two ways;

1. We don’t obey Allah and His Messenger

How close are we to the Sunnah of Muhammad Ibn AbdAllah? How dear is it to us? How dear is it to us to copy him in his actions and inactions? These are questions we must ask ourselves.

So when Allah says to us pray, we say maybe later. When Allah says make Hajj, we say maybe when I am older. When the messenger says, love for your brother, what you love for yourself, we at this point love nothing.

Therefore I remind you of the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad, when he said,

“ Everyone will enter Jannah, except those that choose not to! “

He was asked, and who are those? or who is that?

And he answered,

“ He who disobeys me, has chosen not to “

2. We create environment devoid of blessing and happiness

Ibn Masoud Radhi Allah Anhu swore by Allah three times, that when Allah mentioned speech for the sake of amusement leads people away from Allah, in Surah Luqman, then Allah was referring to Music. So what’s the relation well, things that would destroy happiness is making the Muslim environment a dwelling for Kufaar Jinnis and isolating, and pushing away angles. This happens by such things, as it does with other things that mentioned in the Sunnah, for example;

The Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said: “Angles do not enter a house that has a dog or picture” So why is it there are many people close the doors and shut it for angles not to enter and they get or invite reasons of misery and worry while they are seeking happiness after that?

And subhan Al malik that is for those of us who still remain in Islam, what about those of us, who flurt with kuffar everyday, by abandoning the prayer, the zakat, the fasting??????

Therefore brothers think about this, do then we really deserve to be happy? Do you really think we can be happy as we commit to the haram day in day out? Happiness is a gift for the believers my brothers and sisters in Islam, and is something that is true and attainable for every single one of us, should we want it. As this represents a state of the heart. Allah Himself says;

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَيَجْعَلُ لَهُمُ الرَّحْمَنُ وُدًّا

VERILY, those who attain to faith and do righteous deeds will the Most Gracious endow with love (19:96)

And we see the evidence from this, in the book and all around us. And I bring you the example of the wife of Phiroan as a sublime example of this. Asiya (May Allah Have Mercy on Her) was married to Phiroan, and she accepted Islam. Now how was this, the man who said, ‘I am your lord most high’, how could he have a wife who believed in another lord, the lord of he who called himself lord?

So what did he do?

He set about an intricate process of torture for her, to make her submit through her pain, and reject the king of kings, for he who was not even king of his palace.

And therefore as she was tortured, and lay naked suspended from her breasts from a ceiling, in pain and anguish, she did so with a smile on her face. She, May Allah have mercy on her, did so happy. Why? As she had faith and she had the reliance on Allah. So as she lay suspended in this horrific state, she cried to her lord;

رَبِّ ابْنِ لِي عِندَكَ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَنَجِّنِي مِن فِرْعَوْنَ وَعَمَلِهِ وَنَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

O my Sustainer! Build for me a mansion in the paradise [that is] with you, and save me from Pharaoh and his doings, and save me, from all evildoing folk! (66:11)

And Allah showed her, her abode in Paradise, and comforted her heart as she was martyred. And therefore my brothers and sisters, I tell you now, that the road to happiness, is a road on something called Tawaqul; Reliance on Allah. As when one has firm belief, and this translates into a genuine happiness with whatever Allah puts your way, welcome to eternal happiness. Happiness in Dunya and Happiness in the hereafter.

Therefore Brothers and Sisters, if your not the happiest, think why not, and realise that this state is a gift from Allah for those who believe and work righteousness, and if you strive for the pleasure of Allah, inshAllah you will find it and your heart will be content, even in the most bizzare circumstances.

Keep your eyes peeled, soon I guess I will need to explore the practicalities of seeking the face of Allah for this almost utopian happiness. And as i sign out, I ask you to make dua for a brother who we love greatly, Shafiq, who is going for a job he really wants, may Allah make things easy for him, and use him to serve the Ummah.

I found this exceptional piece of recitation Masha Allaah Tabarak Allah…..

The Prophet Muhammad (Peace & Blessings Be Upon Him) Said;

“Take benefit of five before five:

Your youth before your old age,
Your health before your sickness,
Your wealth before your poverty,
Your free-time before your preoccupation, and
Your life before your death.”

Reported Al-Haakim & Al-Bayhaqee

And it is the second of these which I wish to talk about specifically.

Over the last few days I have been feeling increasingly unwell. And have been struggling through the days with a sore throat, headache and fever. Then last night I really began to experience sever pain in my throat and was unable to sleep. Therefore this morning I went to the doctors, and learnt by the Qadr of Allah, I had Tonsillitis. And my tonsils were inflamed to a shocking extent, and was prescribed Penicillin and a few other things.

So here I am, at home on a Thursday afternoon, feeling week, struggling to speak and genuinely in sever pain, every time I try to swallow something. And then I think what a useful reminder this has been?

One often gets into the invincible mode, where one is doing many, many things and despite feeling shattered continues, thinking I am young, healthy inshAllah, I will be alright – well maybe you will, and then maybe you wont.

I have many things to do, and am unable, and pray Allah makes me from the patient, as being sick is not good. There are many things I would have loved to have got done today or in the next few days, however am unable, and therefore I remind myself first and foremost, and then you guys, use your time wisely, and make the most of the opportunities good health provides you. Do not procrastinate in working good deeds, as by Allah, the opportunity may escape you. Maybe you will want to do something good, but will be unable. Maybe you will want to take 10 minutes out to even speak to your folks, but you will be unable, maybe you will want to make a long sajda before Allah, but you will be unable, maybe you will want to check on a friend, but you will be unable, or maybe call to Islam, but you will be unable. Maybe your health will just not survive the test of time, so your plans for doing goodness, will not materialise. Or maybe, just maybe, as the final point of the hadith points out, maybe you just wont survive, and the point where you will be craving the opportunity to do good deeds will be in your grave,

Last night as I lay awake in my room, I just looked around, and thought subhan Al Malik, what will it be like in our grave. As, I was in my bed, but drawing so many parallels, as it was dark, I was alone, I couldn’t call out, and I thought subhan Al Aziz, what will the grave be like?

Will we be in the company of our good deeds, in a bright space, with the distinct feeling of Jannah, or will we be in the exact opposite, feeling constrained, tortured, with the up close and personal feeling of Jahanam? May Allah protect the Muslims from this.

I guess this post is just to express my genuine desire for all of us to just take a check of ourselves, and consider are we doing what the Messenger, Upon Whom Be Peace Said, when he spoke the truth and said;

“Take benefit of five before five:

your youth before your old age,
your health before your sickness,
your wealth before your poverty,
your free-time before your preoccupation, and
your life before your death.”

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ

All believers are but brethren. Asad(49,11) ^[11] Hence, [when­ever they are at odds,] make peace between your two brethren, and remain conscious of God, so that you might be graced with His mercy.

Quran: 49:10

A friend emailed me and asked to write a paper on friendship in Islam. And I began thinking about friendship in Islam, and despite the ease I expected to be able to write something with, my mind went blank. Seriously, I thought about it a great deal, and then realised I don’t think it really exists.

Now you may find this to be strange, especially those of you that know me, but seriously I realised I don’t think friendship exists in its traditional sense in Islam. Now before you think the northern boy has gone mad. Let me refer you back to the ayat I opened with, and then let me ask you, in the face of the brotherhood that Allah sent down do we really have friendship? If we are a single community, then are we friends with some and not friends with others? As being a friend to someone typically involved making a distinction between someone and the general masses, and giving that person certain extra privileges and a place in your heart, yet how is that when everyone from the believers is granted that position, as Allah says;

إِنَّ هَذِهِ أُمَّتُكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَأَنَا رَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُونِ

VERILY, [O you who believe in Me,] this community of yours is one single community, since I am the Sustainer of you all: worship, then, Me [alone]! Asad(21,89) ^[89]

^{Quran: 21:92}

Allah Subhana granted the nation of Muhmmad Ibn AbdAllah, something truly special, he granted them something called brotherhood. He joined the followers of the mercy to mankind with something between their hearts, and that is brotherhood and a love, which I have already spoke about.

Therefore if we consider this, we should also consider the rights we give to ‘our friends’, how we treat them, what we do for them, what we think about them and the excuses we make for them when they let us down. I ask you this, do you judge your friends the way you judge you family? I am sure many of you like me, don’t, there is a distinct line, now I am sure some of this is natural, however there is a level which needs to be changed. There is something there that we need to start rectifying, and that is in our hearts. We need to realise that our ‘friends’ are closer to us than we may think, and the effect they have on us can be enormous, as the Prophet Said as narrated in Bukhari;

“The example of a good companion and a bad companion is like that of the seller of musk, and the one who blows the blacksmith’s bellows.. So as for the seller of musk then either he will grant you some, or you buy some from him, or at least you enjoy a pleasant smell from him. As for the one who blows the blacksmith’s bellows then either he will burn your clothes or you will get an offensive smell from him.”

And therefore if this is their position, they deserve some serious attention. They need the attention that we may grant members of our very own family, as the bearing they have on us is truly immense, both in this world and the hereafter.

This may seem a bizarre entry, but its just from my train of thought today on the reality of friendship and the possibility that we don’t really have it. For us it is something that goes beyond that, so our most basic relationship with our friends, is that of one of brothers (sisters), and that is the starting point. And from then on it deepens to be some thing of love and then something that is the purest of love, that which leads to the muqaam of Khalil. Just have a think about this, maybe I am loosing it, or maybe I am just realising it. I leave you with the words of the Messenger of Allah, as recorded in Al-Tirmidhi.

“A person is likely to follow the faith of his friend, so look whom you befriend.”